What to look for in selection of mangoes for your orchard in Pakistan
· Good colour, attractive appearance, market appeal (yellow orange or red but not green).
· Acceptable local and international market size of 300-500 grams.
· Good taste, no turpentine smells, firm to extend shelf life.
· Long shelf life.
· Good transport characteristics.
· No internal break downs like soft nose, stem end rot (Shakh) and bacterial black spot.
· Reduced incidence of sap burn.
· Regular bearer year after year.
· High yields.
· Dwarf tree, occupying minimum area, large number of trees/acre and fruit.
· Tree resistance to adverse climatic conditions like high velocity winds, frost and flooding.
· Fruit in clusters or more than two fruits per panicle.
· Tree resistance to diseases like anthracnose, powdery mildew, malformation and bacterial black spot.
· Short juvenile period, i.e., early first crop.
· Very early or very late.
· High price per kg of fruit, high yield per tree, large number of trees per acre and highest income per acre.
· Ease of harvest, fruit production on lowest branches.
· Ease of cultural practices like dead wood removal, spraying for nutrient and disease control.
· Tree with open branches to allow entry of sun light and wind to pass through.
· Non-vigorous tree allowing one good post-harvest vegetative flush and 2-3 flushes a year when juvenile.
· Spreading rather than upright tree.